Dante had a bad feeling. He could feel the earth trembling, and he could feel his soul trembling.
Baal's sun hung high above the desert, its crimson rays trailing from the horizon, sweeping across three howling moons.
Dante had summoned all the inhabitants of these three planets. The civilians had to take up arms, become his warriors, and form a line of defense for Angel Keep.
This was, of course, extremely cruel and aroused great fear among the people, but with the cooperation of the Blood Slaves and priests, Dante successfully gathered the native people of Baal in Angel Keep amidst their wails.
However, on Baal III today, besides the natives of Baal, there was another force.
The survivors from the Netherworld Star System.
These survivors included herders from Lexio, gang hooligans from Ashford, workers from the Lower Nest, and Dying-worshippers.
They had once cooperated with the Cadian Shock Troopers to defend Netherworld for several days, and those who survived were equally hardened.
But even before Dante issued his summons, these refugees had already begun to migrate on their own. They had almost all gathered in the town before him and several nearby settlements.
This town was called Magda, named after the High Sister who once defended Lexio. It was primarily a settlement built by the refugees from Lexio.
That High Sister had gained something unique in Netherworld, and it seemed she had to rush to Terra because of it.
If that High Sister were here, her prestige would have made it easy to mobilize the refugees.
Of course, the Saint Doraemon, worshipped by the refugees, could also do it.
It was just that recently, Saint Doraemon was preparing with Mephiston to deal with Ka'Bandha, and Dante didn't see him often, let alone ask him to command the refugees.
Dante sighed softly. He noticed that these refugees were already armed.
He hoped that no conflict or tragedy would erupt in the end. Dante did not want to have to wield a butcher's knife against mortals.
Dante walked into the square under the protection of the Saint Blood Guard. In the square stood a statue of Saint Doraemon.
The statue still depicted the round, chubby doraemon, but it was adorned with skulls symbolizing death, gears symbolizing machinery, and the pitch-black maw of the eternal dragon.
Dante stood before the statue, looking at the crowd that filled the square. Thousands of Netherworld refugees were packed in here.
And in this town, and in a nearby area, there were many, many more Netherworld refugees.
Representing them were four individuals standing before the throng:
A PDF, a female assassin from the Dying-worshippers, an ugly old man, and the elder of the Lexio herders.
They were just mortals, but they were equally indispensable.
The Emperor made us to protect mortals, and now we must ask mortals to protect ourselves.
"People of Netherworld!"
Dante took a deep breath, making his voice full of conviction:
"Warriors of Ashford and Lexio, you once fought your way out of the Tyranid tide, standing with the Cadian Shock Troopers, with the Battle Sisters, and with us. You have made contributions to the Imperium, to the survival of our species, far exceeding what any mortal could achieve."
"But now the Tyranid is still advancing towards us. Baal—the home of the Archangel—is about to be overwhelmed by the Tyranid. I must ask you to do more."
"Those among you capable of bearing arms must act under the command of the Archangel to help protect Baal."
"We will provide you with weapons, and you will inevitably fight, or all of us will perish."
Dante's words did not achieve the effect he had anticipated.
The mortals from Netherworld looked at him with stubborn eyes, silent and unmoving.
"Death, we will bring death to the Tyranid." Dixus, the female assassin of the Dying-worshippers, slowly spoke: "In the name of the Emperor and Saint Doraemon, we will not refuse any opportunity to bring death."
She bowed her head slightly, clearly indicating her willingness to accept Dante's rule.
"They took our salt, our seas, our moons, and our people…" The Lexio herder elder said in a hoarse voice: "But they couldn't take our blood. Blood for blood, only vengeance!"
A clamor suddenly erupted among the Lexio herders. The herders roared for vengeance, roaring that the Tyranid would shed more blood for devouring Lexio.
One-Eye and the man named Lager exchanged glances.
Lager hesitated for a moment, then took a small step forward and respectfully saluted Dante:
"My Lord, for most of my life, I've been a hive city hooligan and don't know much."
"But I have a good buddy, he knows a lot and told us a lot. When we were drinking in the Ashford tavern, he told us a story…"
"He said it was an ancient war, and Jaghatai Khan asked the Archangel: 'In your prophecy, if I leave the city, how many people can I save?'"
"The Archangel replied: 'Innumerable.'"
"Then Jaghatai Khan said: 'Then, I will go to war.'"
Lager raised his wrinkled face and looked at Dante, who was gazing at him, wearing Sanguinius' angry golden mask.
That face seemed to see through all of Lager's fear, hesitation, cowardice, and baseness, but Lager still mustered a little courage and asked:
"My Lord… if we die for this, will the Emperor and Saint Doraemon be pleased with us? Will our deaths have value? Can our souls return to the Golden Throne?"
Dante was silent for a long moment, then nodded slightly to Lager.
"Then, My Lord, we will fight," Lager said, lowering his head submissively.
The Chapter Masters and representatives of various Chapters stood in the Red Great Hall. Those stationed on Baal's two moons and in the fleet attended via holographic projection.
Now, in this hall, there was no longer any noise or extravagance, only the star map suspended in the sky still shining brightly.
They followed behind Dante, without cunning words, political maneuvering, or power struggles.
They were all the same warriors, Dante's blood brothers, sharp weapons.
They now only had loyalty—to the Imperium, to Sanguinius, to Dante.
Dante gently stroked Sanguinius' golden mask on his face, silently praying.
They now lived in an era paler, more ignorant, and darker than ten thousand years ago, and Dante was merely Sanguinius' shadow. The warriors gathered on Baal were also just shadows of the former Ninth Legion.
But even shadows still flowed with the blood of Sanguinius. May the blood give them strength.
Suddenly, crackling static erupted from the comms. It was a Astropathic message from another star system, relayed to the Red Great Hall via the Astropathic relay station on Baal II.
"…May fate listen… Kalitos reporting. This is Deno V… Reporting, Commander, they are here. Their numbers are too vast… unable to accurately count…"
The recording grew more chaotic, countless insectoid chirps rising, sharp and piercing:
"Unable to retreat. Repeat, we are surrounded… For the blood of Sanguinius…"
The recording cut off, accompanied by roars and explosions.
"It has begun," Dante said softly. Deno V, very close to Baal, extinguished on the star map, replaced by a crimson fleet indicating the Tyranid's advance route.
Then more Astropathic messages came.
"…Retreating. Retreating. Arnold Star System, the Tyranid is advancing…"
"…Leviathan has come. This is Maria Star System…"
"There are so many, they might have millions of bio-ships!!!"
"Horus!!!!"
One by one, starlight extinguished. The Tyranid came from all directions, forming crimson spears piercing towards Baal.
News of the Tyranid's appearance came from all seven star systems near Baal that once had life but were destroyed under Dante's extermination order.
And clearly, the Tyranid did not linger in these star systems, nor did they attempt to replenish biomass from them.
The Tyranid was advancing regardless of losses; they were heading to Baal at full speed.
Baal's tremors also grew stronger. The entire star system was shaking under the gravitational fluctuations caused by the Tyranid's faster-than-light travel.
"…We have deprived the Tyranid of the opportunity to replenish biomass in the star systems. The Tyranid is also on a desperate forced march. We have weakened them as much as possible, but their fleet numbers are still immense."
"At the same time, the shadow is falling. The entire star system in the Warp will become a complete darkness. We will not receive any more support; we can only rely on ourselves."
Dante gazed at the star map, speaking in a low voice.
All the Chapter Masters and Chapter representatives remained silent, until…
"They've arrived…" The first to let out a low growl was Skaban, the Chief Librarian of the Flesh Tearers. He commanded the Flesh Tearers forces on Baal Prime in Seth's stead, participating in the meeting via projection.
He was also a powerful Adeptus Astartes, second only to Mephiston among the living on Baal.
Then the projection of the Lamenters Chapter began to shake, and the projections of the other Chapter Masters stationed on the starships also began to shake with it.
On the star map, a red dot lit up in the Baal Star System, followed by hundreds of red dots, then a winding, long ribbon of red dots, coiling like a snake around the periphery of the Baal Star System.
Then the entire Angel Keep trembled. The wailing of rocks echoed from the earth and walls, and the light of the star Baal Prime dimmed…
"This is the edge of the Baal Star System, Glorious Wing, Erlwin, Lamenters!"
"They're here!!!"
The image on the star map flickered, revealing a void. The void was filled with the green glow of bio-plasma thrusters. Bio-ships covered in thick chitinous armor, with tentacles and spikes, appeared densely in the starry sky, like a torrential rain composed of blood and flesh.
The Adeptus Astartes in the Chapter let out a piercing wail. They saw the Warp being covered by a deep shadow.
"Come, everyone," Dante said softly: "The war has begun."